‘These cuts would kill’

St. Paul, MN – Tombstones and bodies filled the halls outside the Governor’s office here, March 23, as participants in a ‘die-in’ demonstrated against the effects of Governor Pawlenty’s proposed cuts in health and human services. Members of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a Peoples Bailout, along with other social justice groups, joined the protest.

Joanne Gonzalez and Angel Buechner spoke at the press conference before the action, explaining the potential devastation of Pawlenty’s cuts and spoke out against further cuts that are being proposed by Democrats in the House of Representatives.

According to Kim DeFranco, of the Welfare Rights Committee, “Pawlenty’s proposed budget cuts are the most hurtful, illogical, inhumane and criminal to date. If these cuts are passed in this 2010 legislative session, it would bring more harm and devastation to many families that are already struggling. As we continue face severe economic crisis, there is a need more than ever for the very programs that Pawlenty is proposing to cut! Pawlenty is leaving office, but first he is trying to sink Minnesota.”

While the event started as a die-in, it soon morphed into loud and defiant chanting and drumming. For nearly 30 minutes, the capitol building rang with, “Hey hey! Ho ho! Pawlenty’s cuts have got to go!” Security guards eventually shut the doors to the governor’s reception room, only to have to witness dozens of tombstone-shaped signs that protesters pushed underneath the door.

#StPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #BudgetCuts